Hiring Operators, Not Resumes

The biggest hiring mistake is hiring against a resume instead of against the actual job.

Start by writing the job, not the role

Bad: "Senior Marketing Manager." Good: "Person who will own our content engine, ship two pieces a week, and convert 200 newsletter subscribers a month."

Three interview questions that filter operators from resume-builders

"Walk me through the last thing you shipped end-to-end."

You're listening for ownership. Did they decide it, build it, ship it, measure it? Or did they hand off pieces?

"What was the last time you killed a project you'd already started?"

You're listening for taste and discipline. Operators kill things; builders ship everything.

"Tell me about a time you were the last person standing on a tough problem."

You're listening for grit. Not heroics — endurance.

The reference call question that matters

"If you were starting another company tomorrow, would you hire them again?"

The answer is binary. Anything other than an immediate "yes" is a "no."